Project Overview:
Our client, a major player in the oil and gas industry, faced a critical situation when urgent chemical injection equipment was required for the Subsea Control Module (SCM) in a sub-zero oil field. The scope of the project amounted to approximately £1 million, with the added pressure of a looming sea freeze in just three months. Failure to install the equipment within this timeframe would result in a significant six-month delay in achieving first oil.
Complicating matters further, the client possessed only preliminary drawings of the new design, with the first element requiring delivery within an incredibly tight two-week window. The project comprised over 70 individual component parts, including a 1m³ fabrication, and the design underwent six revisions during the manufacturing process.
SPE’s Consultative Approach:
Facing this challenging scenario head-on, SPE adopted a consultative approach to ensure the successful completion of the project.
- Kick-off Meetings (KOM): Initiated KOM meetings involving all stakeholders to establish a clear understanding of the project’s intricacies and expectations.
- Material Procurement: Proactively ordered materials based on initial client sketches, allowing manufacturing processes to commence while detailed designs were still in progress.
- Material Grade Advice: Provided valuable input on material grades, considering both availability and application requirements, ensuring optimal performance in the sub-zero oil field environment.
- Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Conducted DFM meetings to address product interfacing and testing, ensuring seamless integration of multiple components.
- Parallel Management of NPI: Efficiently managed the New Product Introduction (NPI) of multiple products in parallel, streamlining the overall production process.
- International Supply Chain Management: Orchestrated a complex international supply chain to adhere to a strict schedule, mitigating potential delays due to logistics challenges.
- Adaptability to Changes: Undertook rapid stage manufacturing in between drawing releases and accommodated six revisions of the design during the production phase.
- On-site Assembly and Testing: Completed full on-site assembly, including Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) involving hydraulic testing and interface testing. The equipment also received DNV independent certification.
- Global Packaging Compliance: Ensured compliance with global packaging requirements for safe and secure transportation.
Result:
Despite facing numerous challenges, the collaborative efforts of a dedicated project team, consisting of highly skilled engineers and project managers, enabled SPE to deliver the complex equipment within the client’s specified timeframe. This timely delivery proved crucial for the client’s goal of achieving first oil from the field, with potential delays estimated in the hundreds of millions had the deadline not been met. The success of this project underscores SPE’s commitment to technical expertise, consultative sales, and effective project management.
